–slam leak of internal communications
THE heads of judiciary from seven Caribbean jurisdictions have issued a joint statement addressing recent public reports concerning internal correspondence and administrative matters at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), expressing confidence in the regional tribunal while voicing sharp concern over a breach of confidentiality.
The statement was issued on behalf of the Heads of Judiciary of Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago — all jurisdictions that subscribe to either the original or appellate jurisdiction of the CCJ, or both.
It comes after reports surfaced publicly detailing what appeared to be internal communications from within the Court, prompting the coordinated response from the region’s top judicial officers.
In the statement, the judiciary heads underscored the CCJ’s significance within the Caribbean’s legal framework, noting that it serves as the final court of appeal for those states that have acceded to its appellate jurisdiction, and as the court of original jurisdiction for most member states of the Caribbean Community in matters concerning the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
They stressed that, as with any court, the CCJ’s authority depends fundamentally on public confidence in the independence, impartiality, integrity, and competence of its judges.
The Chief Justices were careful to distance themselves from adjudicating the substance of the reports, stating it would not be appropriate for them to comment on the merits of allegations attributed to individual judges or on matters tied to the Court’s internal deliberative or administrative processes.
Their concern, they made clear, centered squarely on the disclosure itself.
“We express grave concern about the breach of confidentiality which resulted in the disclosure of what appear to be internal communications,” the statement read.
Despite the controversy, the regional judicial leaders reaffirmed their confidence in the CCJ as a vital institution and in the commitment of its judges to upholding the principles underpinning justice across the Caribbean.
They closed the statement by reaffirming a shared commitment to the independence of regional judiciaries, the institutional integrity of the CCJ, and the broader imperative of preserving public trust in the region’s courts.
